Posts Tagged ‘virgin’

Why are San Francisco’s New “Low-Cost” Airlines More Expensive than Regular Old Airlines?

Monday, March 1st, 2010

You know the JetBlue and the Virgin America, right? Let’s review:

JetBlue Airways is an American low-cost airline…”

Virgin America, Inc. is a United States-based low-cost airline…”

Well, check out what the suits attending the American Association of Advertising Agencies’ Transformation 2010 convention at the Hilton San Francisco Union Sqaure are paying to fly in from and back to the Big Apple, assuming they’re stuck in the coach section during this Great Recession:

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See that? United, Delta, American and Continental all were quoting airfares less than $300, and the ”low-cost airlines” were the most expensive.

Perhaps sexy new Virgin America and JetBlue should be called premium airlines these days?

Just asking…

San Francisco’s Virgin America Airlines Gets Its Own Reality Show March 24th: Fly Girls

Friday, February 26th, 2010

San Francisco-based Virgin America Airlines has its own “docu-series” starting up on March 24th at 9:30 PM on the CW – it’s called Fly Girls (and it’s not to be confused with the In Living Color/Jennifer Lopez kind of Fly Girls from the 90’s).

Take a look. Meet Mandalay, a local “girl” who’s a Virgin America flight attendant based out of SFO in real life. Listen to her go on about the “romance of aviation” and the benefits of choosing Virgin America, the only California-based airline left by the way.

Barbie, Skipper, and the ”ethnic girlfriends of Barbie“ (or, more politely, a ”mini- United Nations of races and ethnicities“) are coming soon to KBCW-TV channel 44 / 45 and all the CW stations across America. Oh yes, their “real” names (or “reel” names) are Tasha, Louise, Mandy (or Mandi), Nikole and Farrah:

Doesn’t this promo shot from the CW Network of former beauty queen Nikole look just like a Virgin America ad?

This show is going to be something like eight half-hour Virgin America infomercials complete with 30-second commercials for shampoo and cosmetics. Nevertheless, it’s going to be better than NBC’s high-budget San Francisco-based Trauma serial, that’s a given from the get-go. (Wonder if cheeky Virgin Airlines founder Sir Richard Branson will make an appearance or two…)

Just discovered that my aging Trinitron (that could be older than you) actually receives channel 44 so I’ll be sure to tune in to check out the debut.

Excelsior, Ever Upward.

Now, meet the Fly Girls and get more deets after the jump.

Farrah Williams

Hometown Airport: LAX
Must Have Travel Accessories: Lip balm and a camera
Travel Tips: “Be nice to fellow travelers and flight attendants. It makes for a more pleasant experience all the way around.”
Security Checkpoint Tips: “Don’t make eye contact. Strip down quick so you’re not holding up the line.”
Years with Virgin America: 2 ½

Louise Nguyen

Hometown Airport: LAX (currently SFO)
Must Have Travel Accessories: Moisturizer and lip balm
Travel Tips: “While on the plane, always wear your shoes in the restroom!”
Security Checkpoint Tips: “Get in line behind someone who has already taken their shoes off, and who is not juggling a ton of things in their hands, and then do the same.”
Years with Virgin America: 2

Mandy Roberts

Hometown Airport: PHX (currently SFO)
Must Have Travel Accessory: A big, soft pashmina that can be used as a pillow or blanket.
Travel Tips: “Drink an endless amount of water.”
Security Checkpoint Tips: “Wear slip-on shoes with socks, if possible. It’s yucky to wait in line with bare feet on the dirty floor.”
Years with Virgin America: 2

Nikole Rubyn

Hometown Airport: SMF (Sacramento)
Must Have Travel Accessory: Visine
Travel Tips: “Always wear or bring socks with you to walk through security!”
Security Checkpoint Tips: “Don’t wear all of your jewelry to the airport, keep it in small bags and put it on after you get through security.”
Years with Virgin America: 2

Tasha Dunnigan

Hometown Airport: SMF (Sacramento)
Must Have Travel Accessory: Cell phone
Travel Tips: “Don’t forget your common sense at home.”
Security Checkpoint Tips: “Have all of your things in order and pay attention.”
Years with Virgin America: 2

“Fly Girls” is from Collins Avenue Productions, with executive producers Jeff Collins (“Bridezilla 3, 4 & 5,” “The Exterminators”) and Colin Nash (“The Hills,” “The City”) and co-executive producers Larry Bond and Porter Gale.

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One Tweet Does It All – Twitter Joins San Francisco’s 311 Telephone Service

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

San Francisco’s 311 telephone service, which you already know all about, now can be accessed through Twitter. Read all about it in the press release, after the jump.

Here’s a straight take of today’s press conferenceat the 311 Call Center near Van Ness and Market. And here’s writer Jackson West’s perspective. The thing about today’s announcement is that it doesn’t come with all that much of a bill, so that’s good. For what it’s worth, Washington D.C. is taking a different path with its 311 service.

Twitter co-founder Christopher Isaac Stone yucking it up with San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom  at today’s presser.

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Throwing in Nancy Alfaro, “Director of 311″ and Chris Vein, City CIO and Executive Director, San Francisco Department of Technology

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And also signed in and on the scene, for some reason, were the “Virgin America Inflight Teammates”, who wanted credit for being there. Here are a couple of the friends of Oprah - there was something like six of them there today, all told. Let’s hear it for San Francisco’s little hometown airline, still around despite getting pushed around by the big boys all the time.  

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One of the things brought to the attention of 311 today via Twitter was the “illegal” viral campaign promoting the new “District 9″ film. No idea how that ticket will get resolved.  

Anyway, as promised, all the deets, after the jump.

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The Ferrari Store in Union Square Could Use a Little More Foot Traffic

Tuesday, March 24th, 2009

The Ferrari Store at 2 Stockton could do with a little more foot traffic these days, as predicted. Of course you can’t buy a real Ferrari there, but you CAN get a bunch of stuff you don’t need. Then you’ll end up looking like this guy. Why not?

Cue tumbleweeds. Click to expand:

Speaking of real Ferraris, check out the 2003 F1 replica racer in 2007 livery. Note the tiny 13″ wheels that are smaller than the ones on your sister’s Corolla. Note mobbed Apple Store just across the street at 1 Stockton. 

I’m not sure what the real color is on this Enzo key, so I can’t fix it. Could be a case of white balance gone wrong. Note ridiculousness of spending 200 clams for the key to a car you don’t own.

Ask them about their Segway

Good luck San Francisco Scuderia Ferrari.

Virgin Charter “Empty Leg” flights – a Cheap Way to Fly on a Corporate Jet?

Tuesday, March 25th, 2008

Hey, you know what would be nice? Flying you and eight of your friends on a medium sized corporate jet, say a Challenger 604, from California to Princess Juliana International Airport on the Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin.

How much would it cost? Well, just make an offer on a Virgin Charter empty leg flight. Somebody’s already offered about $11 a person. You can beat that, can’t you? Remember to tell your friends that they’re on their own when they want to go back to California. Just avoid those turboprop planes, and you’ll be styling.

You can’t win if you don’t play!

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